France awards its highest honour to Barnard Castle D-Day veteran after a kind-hearted resident put him forward

Colin Hall with his medal

A TEESDALE D-Day veteran who helped keep the channel clear for the Normandy landings has been awarded the Legion d'honneur.
Barnard Castle's Colin Hall was a radar operator during the biggest amphibious operation in military history. 
The 92-year-old was bestowed with France's highest honour earlier this month after being put forward by ex-forces resident Maxine Moore. She met Mr Hall at the funeral of Joe Swinbank in March this year. Mr Swinbank was given the Legion d'honneur in 2015 but Mr Hall hadn't received one, so Ms Moore applied on his behalf.
Mr Hall joined the Royal Navy aged 19 in August 1943.
After a spell in North Atlantic convoys, his ship, the HMS Vimy, was transferred to the English Channel ahead of June 6, 1944.
“I was one of the lucky ones – I was there at the end of the war when things were beginning to turn in our favour,” he said.

The Normandy beaches in June 1944

“It was a grey day so my vision would only carry so far but the sight of all those ships was absolutely awesome.”
The son of an MBE, Mr Hall was born in Durham and lived there for more than 70 years.
On leaving the navy, he began a teaching career spanning five decades.
A 16-year-old Sir Bobby Robson was one of his many students.
He added: “I shall never forget the excitement of these times and I am proud to have been there, but I'm ever mindful of the non-survivors who paid the supreme sacrifice.”

Read more of Mr Hall's D-Day experience in a special feature in next week's Teesdale Mercury.